Monday, January 27, 2014

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo

We eat spaghetti squash... a lot. In the last two months we've tried Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese, Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats, and Mushroom and Spinach Spaghetti Squash Boats. I make a spaghetti squash dish about once a week. It's a hearty, healthy, low-calorie, low-fat one-dish meal that makes great leftovers. Although the spaghetti squash strands look like pasta, they do not taste like pasta... but they still give you that satisfied feeling you would get from eating a big bowl of it. I love being able to enjoy my favorite cheesy pasta dishes without all the bad carbs!

Here is yet ANOTHER recipe I made up using the wondrous spaghetti squash. Maybe we should change the name of our blog to Sisters Do Spaghetti Squash!?

My Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo is so easy to make!! I grilled the chicken breasts beforehand (while the spaghetti squash was baking), but you could use any leftover chicken in this dish. And if you wanted to use a different vegetable other than broccoli you could too! Buy any light alfredo sauce at the store or you can make your own. The great thing about these spaghetti squash dishes is that they are so versatile.

Yummm! I just love this stuff so much...

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash (about 3 cups cooked)

salt and fresh pepper, to taste

1 1/4 cup light alfredo sauce

1 cup grilled chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1 cup broccoli florets

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season lightly with salt and black pepper; bake about 1 hour (or longer if needed) on a baking sheet, cut side down.

When spaghetti squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes keeping the oven on.

When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to remove flesh, which will come out in spaghetti looking strands reserving the shells. Drain the squash on a paper towel to soak up any excess liquid.

Toss squash strands with 1 cup of the alfredo sauce, chicken, and broccoli florets. Place the spaghetti squash back into the 2 shells and place on a baking sheet.

Top each with remaining alfredo sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until everything is hot and the cheese is melted.